Iran urges Muslim unity to combat extremism

Bushehr Prov, Dec 26, IRNA – A senior aide to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on religious minorities affairs, Ali Younesi said on Thursday that all Muslim countries, either Sunni or Shia, should join hands to prevent extremist and violent movements.

Younesi said that violent acts by extremist Muslims pose a serious threat to the international security today.

He said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is calling for international peace and security and believes that the Muslim extremists must renounce violence and opt for political campaign to advance their aspirations.

He said that massacre and bloodshed will not help the extremists reach their political goals adding that Iran is conveying message of peace for the entire world inviting the extremists to give up violence against humanity.

Younesi said that Iranian cultural attachés and figures interested in the Iranian culture are propagating the true message of Islam which prohibits violence and bloodshed.

Escalation of violence by a small number of extremist groups are a threat to the unity of the Muslim World and the entire international community, he said, citing the current situation in Pakistan, Iraq and Syria.

Younesi said that campaign against violence has been launched by Iranian and non-Iranian Shia and Sunni Muslim scholars across the world.